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Friday, May 16, 2014

Oh Air Canada, You Lucky Sea Dogs

Air Canada will receive its first 787 into the Homeland on Sunday on May 18, 2014, arriving at Toronto with a select ridership of employees. The excitement for the company is greater than Air Canada's customer critics. Air Canada has studied this aircraft in detail and likes what it sees, with its own future with the 787 equipment. I will share leadership quotes from the press so one can sense the  change of Air Canada's light, after a lengthy winter of operations with Air Canada's make due strategy.



We’re extremely excited. It’s going to be a big winner for us,” said Ben Smith, Air Canada’s chief commercial officer, in an interview.

“When you’re in this industry, it doesn’t happen very often,” said Smith, of the chance to bring back a brand-spanking new plane. “Last time, I got to do that was in 2007, when we took our first Boeing 777.”


The Dreamliner’s 251 seats are also seen as advantageous on routes where it may be harder to fill 300 to 450 seats on a Boeing 777.
“This airplane on its own is a fantastic airplane,” said Smith. “But what’s so special and so unique for Air Canada is the airplane perfectly sized, as if it was custom made for us.
“You don’t get to custom make an airplane, but every once in a while an airplane is built so perfectly for your marketplace that you get an extra special edge,” he said.
The 787 will offer three cabin classes – business, premium economy and economy.

What has Air Canada Found in its new airplane.


  • 251 seats
  • Three classes
  • Long range pleasurable ride.
  • A breathe of fresh air
  • Eternal Sundown, finally, comes with Electronic Window Shades eh!
  • Indoor Northern Lights all the time, requested by Mackenzie Brothers
  • Bangers on early morning flights.
  • Beer in three classes, Large, larger and largest
  • First Canadian Airline having an Eh Class and section
  • Passenger and Flight Attendant Manual with an English to English and French translation.
  • Bush pilot instruction guide 
  • Over Head Hockey and puck Rack. Ask flight attendant about their racks.
  • Flying with beer on stand-by option.
The excitement will continue, once Air Canada launches a plane load of Canadians with a boat load of tourist. Co-mingling that hasn't been seen since the Calgary Stampede in 1971. When I was there sleeping in a  bag on the stampede public camping Island next to Calgary Zoo. I had a personal Canadian showing me Calgary for 24 hrs. I can't even remember his name. Oh well it was fun just the same, arriving with my friends who had hitched hiked with me from Montana. Drop into the Stampede in a 787 and it will make your trip extraordinary part of your life-time. I was 19 then, and still remember it as if it were yesterday (digression font).

Execs Talking Point.
  • Now its anywhere and everywhere
  • Fun to fly in a 787
  • Low Fuel consumption expands Air Canada's world presence.
  • Custom Fit To Canada's Business Plan.
  • We are in the game that the 787 has changed. 





Thursday, May 15, 2014

Boeing,s, "Its Not On The Book's" But It Realy matters That its on the Media Board

This is a brief-(briefing) of what is happening out there when you look at the Boeing web site of "Orders and Deliveries" and you may miss something because it isn't there in plain view. The unidentified classification on the Boeing Website is populated with a plentiful bunch of 737's. I can only guess at the batch of unidentified 737 orders on the Boeing chart. Those orders are supposedly secret at the customer's discretion, but the press jumps a story occasionally and post a sales one day and the next day Boeing adds another 50 or so 737's to the book. Bloggers and Aerophytes become a guessing lot of writers on what's going on. Here is the latest Headline from China that  may end up on Boeing.com site as Unidentified.

Not Listed at this time.

New carrier to buy 50 B737 planes for US$3.8b   Link


CHINA’S newly established budget carrier Jiuyuan Airlines has placed an order for 50 Boeing 737 jets, Boeing said yesterday.
The order could be worth more than US$3.8 billion based on list prices and includes some of Boeing’s next-generation 737 jets, according to a statement posted on Boeing’s website.
With a registered capital of 600 million yuan (US$96.3 million), Jiuyuan Airlines is based at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport.


UnIdentified on Boeing' s Purchases

Airline to buy 50 jets
Xinhua-Global Times | 2014-4-22 0:13:02
By Xinhua - Global Times



 E-mail   Print
China's Shandong Airlines signed a contract on Monday with the US-based Boeing Company to buy 50 Boeing 737 passenger airplanes.

The airliners, including Boeing's 737 NG and 737 MAX models, will be delivered to Shandong Airlines from 2016 to 2020, said Ma Chongxian, chairman of the company, which is based in Ji'nan, capital of East China's Shandong Province.

Shandong Airlines aims to increase its fleet to over 140 at the end of 2020, which will be a surge of almost 100 percent, Ma said.

Shandong Airlines already operates 74 passenger aircraft, including 67 Boeing 737 airplanes.

Xinhua - Global Times

Not Booked and Identified At This Time.

777X not booked, not unidendified but a real deal with ANA

All Nippon Airways, a Boeing stalwart for many years, on 27 March placed a series of tentative commitments that will have disappointed and pleased Airbus in almost equal measure.
The heart of the fleet replacement programme is a deal – still to be firmed up – for six current-generation 777-300ERs and 20 Boeing 777-9Xs, with the latter to replace the 19 existing 777-300ERs in its fleet. It will also take 14 additional 787-9s, bringing its total Dreamliner fleet to 80.

However, orders for the 777X series were already outstripping those for the A350-1000. Airbus order data to the end of February lists 189 commitments for the -1000, while – assuming the ANA deal is firmed – Boeing has already garnered 300 orders for the revamped 777.
To an extent, the A350-1000 does not compete directly with the 777-9X, ceding around 30 seats and 200nm (370km) of range to its rival, but Airbus will nonetheless have pitched it to ANA. Save for theA380, it could offer nothing else."

Conclusion: With mysterious record keeping per Customer Request as it relates its own fanancial situation there is a steady building of its Off the Books of Likely Orders (OTBLO). I have missed some  OTBLO's, for the purpose  of demonstrating Boeing's shadow books in play without going deep into data. By years end, many of these OTBLO will miraculesly appear in December of 2014 on Boeing's website.
Currently there are:

100 737's unaccounted for per Boeing order report
20 777-9 not listed
14   ANA 787-9 in the works.

A total of 134 shadow orders for this brief report.



Wednesday, May 14, 2014

According to All Things 787 Blog It Flew 18 Hours 8 Minutes

According to the the test flight schedule All Things 787 provides, the 787-9 flew a test flight with a duration of 18 hours and 8 Minutes on May 13, 2014. It leavers people like me unable to understand, what all that means so I'll attempt to figure it out. It is a wonderful sign in testing that the 787-9 has legs. It can go to the same spot in the world going east or west and arrive 18 hours later. At 500 miles per hour its a plus 9,000 mile flight. And so forth. More details would be helpful, but its a significant testing milestone for the 787-9 program.

Uresh has responded on his "All Things 787", blog site. Boeing completing the 787-9 ETOPs certification and testing flight. The 787-9 is nearing its completion of testing having accomplished such a lengthy flight of this type. End of June, is in Boeing's gun sight for testing completion for an FAA 787-9 certification event. The first New Zealand Air delivery by mid year, probably in the month of July is on track. Good news for the customers.

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

A Few Of My Favorite Things Things or The Morphing of The 777X

Mike Carriker, is a favorite test pilot at Boeing, but with his engineering aspect. He flies them, designs them and then flies them again and again. Its Boeing secret weapon. The "Mike Effect", which went exclusively into the the Boeing 787. Not only did he lead the charge on what an airplane should do, be and is, he lead the charge on first flights.  Guess who showed up to front load the 777X project, Mike Carriker! Enough said at this point. The 777X is a morph of the 737-787 projects. Commonality is the Carriker finger print. Wide displays found on the 787 is on the this promising X plane. The carry forward is immense from all DNA found in the preceding projects. The X child does have a family tree. Draw that tree from its relatives from the last 40 years from the 747 down to the 737.

This strand of Boeing DNA is called the the double helix "Lessons Learned" and is the core strand. In breeding the 777X, it takes the 787 plastic wing influence and flight deck. It takes GE engines not unlike the 787 engines. It explores laminar flow technology just being incorporated in the 787-9 and 787-10 for long bodies. The 737 comes into play at various work stations of development. Confusing somewhat, that's why you pay the engineers the big bucks. It is a delight to the viewing audience to follow this morphing project. There are some Boeing Rabbits not pulled out of the hat yet, but will when the forming stage hits the fan. Folding wings come from the deck of the YorkTown from WWII. The corsair is on the family tree. Mike Carriker is not the father of the 777X he is the mentor of the project. This aircraft will eventually to the pilots, this airplane is going to the engineers now. Engineer/test pilot Mike Carriker is going into the pit and sort the best of Boeing out into one composite aircraft from all others. It not composite with plastics but composite with ideas that work and have worked in premium fashion.  Mike Carriker opus contribution will make him a complete book in Boeing's anthology.

The folding wings, Cab function and Engines will make more pilots fly different types of Boeing models with easy transitions and immediate training. The Plastic sections will fool the aircraft into thinking its the best of the 787 when its a 777X. The items found on the 787 that do not go on the 777X are just variant approaches. The 777X will incorporate the net sum gains from the 777300ER and fly like a 787. The 777-300ER is out selling the A350-1000 for a reason. 20 years ago Boeing hit the suite spot on that design. Now it strives to hit every sweet spot it ever invented during the forty years with modern innovations from those accomplishments. This is a morph project with all hands on deck for the Best of Boeing. Its not a 787, 737, or last years 777300ER. Its best of the show. The Boeing gantlet is thrown down with Carriker to pick up and he has done so.

The pep talk is complete from the above ramble. Blogging is wonderful because we don't compete with column space or editor restrictions, bloggers get to research, think, and write without getting fired. However, understanding the 777X is the next blogger assignment. This is just a brief introduction to this 777X homely.

Below is a Link to the real reporter and my research reference written by Guy Norris. Someone who does a great job.

Aviation Week:

Boeing Details 777X Wing-Tip Control Options

May 12, 2014
Crew commonality, wing fold and flight control form focus for 777X flight deck design

Monday, May 12, 2014

Thinking About The 787-10 and What It Can Do

Boeing almost has its 787-9 project in the rear view mirror. It has learned much during this model progression. You can take lessons learned from the 787-8 project and lean out those -8 stoppers in the 787-9 with a remarkable result of building the larger sibling with all the promise that Boeing made on the 787-8 in the beginning. It is realized at the end of the 787-9 progression. Not only will the 787-9 have all the kinks worked out before its first months in service, it will install advancements that the 787-8 will not have on its base configuration.  The 787-9 will have better air flow in the air. It will have a solid battery protection system, Boeing will build the 787-9 without hesitation or plant problems that would jeopardize Boeing's production like its former awkward shut downs on the factory floor.  The 787-9 will be a virtuoso performance repeated again by the 787-10 project. The roll out for the 787-10 for its customer has a date in 2018.

What does this mean? It means , the project maturity will guarantee its customers an incredible opportunity for a 330 seat aircraft that will bridge the world through routes with a seamless web of heavy lifting of customers. On the Pacific Rim, Trans Asiatic and the Trans Atlantic market and with the Middle East connected, it will make it difficult for Airbus since they don't have a continuity for its family of aircraft not matching Boeing. This, the 787-10, is an Ideal aircraft for Africa, as its range covers that Continent. It doesn't need 8,000 plus mile range that the 787-9 offers. Those flying lanes that are thin and long which the 787-9 is well suited holding up to 290 customers in three classes all the way.

What Boeing has accomplished during its "Late Period" is a consolidation of technology during those three years of regrouping the plan. Too much too soon was a complaint by its competitor from Airbus. They came out with the "Dumbed Down A350" family of aircraft. However, Boeing faked Airbus into this blunder when it struggle to hit one date on time with overly complex aircraft. Customers needed codling from Boeing to hang in there while Airbus kept up the chiding with Boeing customers with a mantra, "Ours will be somehow better".  Some customers bought the line and moved to the head of the Airbus line. The Boeing line was way long with a 3 year late  troubled program. Pretty scary stuff with Billions on the line, and possible financial disasters looming around the success or failure for the 787 program. Point well taken by the skittish customer. Point ignored by those in too deep for turning back on Boeing. Split orders came on the Horizon as Japan Airline balked and ordered some Airbus as a hedged against Boeing problems.

Like a Boeing teenager, those problems started clearing up on its face. No more pimples in 2014 except for cluster planning Charleston at the first of this year. The prom is coming for the 787. The 787 -10 is another slap in the face for Airbus as it out sells the A350-1000 easily. Airbus still has a substandard version of the 787 with its A350 family. The did one thing right with the A350-900 is that it sold a bunch to Wanna Be Airlines with its strongest selling point that customers would be closer to delivery by signing on during its initial sales surge.

The A350-800 floundered with no back order line. The A350-1000 didn't hit a home run. The A350-900 offered a short line to delivery and filled it.

This brings us to 2014 battle ground conditions. The famous Boeing and Airbus surge orders are over. Everybody with money has ordered, including Air India. The best scenario for either is the second phase of sales. It is period of time where customers that own and fly the 787 has a leg up on Airbus customers. Even Japan Airlines has a leg up even if its pride and honor were damaged by faulty battery and other mishaps from Boeing. Japan Airline is hoping for a better position later on with Boeing or Airbus. It means that Japan Airlines is hung up, as of late which way to go, and doesn't tolerate airplane mishaps in manufacturing. I say to Japan Airlines, "No Guts, No Glory". However, the 787-10 fits 95% of the world's routing, as the 787-9 will have 100% of the world routing. Those long thin traffic lanes will see 787-9 carrying 250 passenger anywhere in three comfortable seating classes. The 777X is now mentioned as the "Post 2020" aircraft in its own class called the "Difference Maker". This Difference Maker will cause major problems for Airbus in Asia to the Middle East. From Malaysia and Singapore throughout the region. Going east is a long stretch of Ocean to North America, and the other way, west,  to London Heathrow across a considerable land mass. The 787-10 will service everything in between in the long thin markets. The Boeing aircraft tool box has customer matchings for all the world routes, and it will preform better than what Airbus can match when considering the total aircraft family package.

Art Terms or Conditions:
  • Post 2020 "Excellence Period" -Vision Statement = 777X
  • "Difference Maker"-Mission Statement = The 777X
  • Pre 2020 "Late Period"- 787 Artistic Aberration
  • "Max Effort" Contemparary Impressionism 42 prints a month
  • "Second Surge Sales" Art Show

The second surge sales begins in 2015 as Boeing demonstrates the order book dynamics of a shorter wait line than Airbus for Carbon Fiber with advance technology aircraft. In 2015 it will build 120 787's a year Being first with customers and being first to gate has its perks.

Thursday, May 8, 2014

Moving Average Recap For The Money Markets

LiftnDrag Blog has tried to develop a three month moving average indicator which measures the specific progress of the 787 program. It ignores how many 787's are punched threw the doors each month, it ignores post door testing and it ignores short term game stoppers because it gathers all that slack in a ninety day period and gives its customers a continuous rate flow of incoming Boeing Receipts.


Charleston is about to move this Average forward.


Boeing has been climbing the indicator trail since the first of the year as it delivered four  787 in January. Another four in February. Hold on to that thought as you compare 2013 with a paltry 1 or closer to Zip as possible without panic. March of 2014 was 10, now it moves on to Eight in April. The 90 day average upward trends to 7.33 for 90 days. This is an investors delight as Boeing is now closer to its promised ten a month continuous delivery number.  They mean to make and deliver 120 787's per year. That number will dip when the 787-9 is infused in, during its first six months of delivery. A second dip will occur when the 787-10 is in delivery mode.

If you adjusted for the 787-9 test planes which have logged over 1200 test hours Boeing would have had a one plane per month increase of the last 6 months and have bolstered the delivery moving average by an additional 1 copy for each average taken. It would be fair to say that the 787-8 was on pace for April's moving average at 8.5 if Boeing resources were solely 787-8 and no 787-9 interruptions.

However, the reality is that Boeing will be producing all three models at the same time and it geared its factory(s) for that event this last quarter. Charleston, for the first time, is putting it together. The initial thrust with its first Dreamliners was a forming stage of productivity following its storming stage of just making 787's. I look to see the Charleston's Plane Making, step up and preform just like Everett,Wa. It's a matter of a short time that this all comes to fruition. The 90 Day Moving Average of delivery will validate this bold claim. Starting June 1, 2014 until June 1, 2015 will see close to 120 787's a month no mater the number of plugs installed on the base frame. The total number for 787's may fall short of its 110 unit goal at the delivery gate in 2014. Investors should adjust their expectation closer to 100, which in itself is a remarkable number for the 787. The out take on this production goal is that Boeing does not want to lay up short in Airplane Wars. It needs and wants 10 a month for the duration going to customers around the world. Airbus may not reach 100 a year A350's for another three years. In that time Boeing hopes to flood the market with the 787 as the standard, making the A350 just an alternative and nothing more. Airbus will have its moments, but may never achieve a pinnacle status  like the 787 will with its family of aircraft.

The 90 day moving average is a simple attempt at a snap shop view for delivery, and if Boeing is reaching its stated goals. Ninety days absorbs many million parts, mishaps and changes on the production floor, as it introduces new processes within its family of aircraft. Ten a month to the customers is the goal, never mind the messiness behind the production flow, those 10 a month is all that matters coming out perfect every three delivery days.

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Top Secret Laminar Flow Technology The Boeing 787-9

Fore.... I took a shot 400 yards out on the golf course. That little white ball went farther than I could throw a rock. Back to the physics class I went with golf ball in hand. All those little dimples on a golf ball eliminated a lot of drag carrying the ball 400 yards out. The 787-8 has tail drag as if it were flying with a boat anchor behind it. So does the A350, or all airplane models. Boeing smiles, pauses, and goes out to the golf course for a staff meeting. You know one engineer thought out loud. "These golf ball dimples are the answer." The supper secret laminar flow project was launched so Boeing wouldn't like you to know. Those dimples on the golf balls are now installed on the 787-9 in the form of perforations on the leading edge of the vertical tail section and the other two horizontal tail surfaces. The drag produced by standard surfaces is reduced significantly in a simple, but secret manner.

Dad gum it, Bugs block the laminar air flow hole scheme during a flight. The fuel savings are so significant each flight can be serviced in a few minutes while on the ground with a special power washer. Problem solved, but laminar air flow secrets remain intact. It is not so secret in design, but it is through Boeing's trial and error research to reach the proper configuration for holes, and design on the leading edges of the tail assemble. Not only that the air flow is channeled specifically around flight surfaces with more air rather than surface drag. Boeing has worked out how to manage passing air against the surfaces, so that air passing by the surface doesn't act like a boat anchor, but only brushes against other air in the flow. This condition makes the 787-9 787-10 and 777X fly without a boat anchor on its tail.

It is an airplane Speedo, while the jet swims in the air, rather than a potato sack wrap around tail section during a rip tide.





The black leading edge represents the Boeing secret without bugs. Airbus has no answer in this proprietary test at this time. Significant fuel saving are expected with this innovation.  The next time you hear laminar air flow, it's unique and a big thing. Tell your friends about this, as its bigger than a 787 window shade. The 787-10 was first rated a 7,200 mile range. I am anxious to see if that range expands without one additional gallon of fuel pumped on-board. It may gain a rating of 7,500 miles after testing. Could Boeing build a flying golf ball with all flight surfaces dimpled or having holes on significant edges spilling the air as it tries to stick on surfaces? If it does then the 787 will have an easier time flying over golf courses as everyone below yells fore...

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

The Future Vertical Lift Kick-Off or known as Black Hawk Down.

Get to know these acronyms. FVL (Future Vertical Lift) and then the JMR ( Joint Multi Role).  Its going to replace the Apache and Black-Hawk programs.  This is the initial phase., before putting out an Request For Proposal (RFP) for a 100 billion life of program potential to replace 4000 aging design copies currently in the military. Multi role is a key title which begs for different configurations that would overlap to different frame builders, as the below article indicates from "The Defense News" article share, would indicate.

Linking the "Defense News" article as it is a reading assignment for those interested in the new Vertical Lift Command RFP implementation. By the time I have passed on, this FLV will have deployed. I am writing  about something which will occur beyond my own expiration date. However, Defense News makes this opening article a "Popular Mechanics" type of presentation about the future helicopter concept. A most interesting day dream for aviation. The military has caught that day dream bug since it needs to go beyond the Black Hawk. There are four primary future bidders pushing forward at this time, where only two will make the final cut for the RFP round. Here is my check list of things to do in an all new concept lifter on the battle field. I am sure the DOD has considered these bullet points way before and will be included within the RFP for all comers biding.

  • Stealth (negative electronic detections, Aero designs)
  • Sound (silent mode)
  • Lift Capacity (exceeds current light VL capacity)
  • Armament ( The Kitchen Sink options for attack and defense)
  • People Movers level (Maximum 24 Combat, or 12 medical, or 3 crew per mission)
  • Evacuation capabilities (rapid egress system or capability) a run up the ramp and go.
  • Air Cargo system of modular configuration (on the fly payloads management)
  • Mission Configuration ( Rapid Mission Change management within combat scenario)
  • Range=field of operations 400 miles with refueling capabilities for indefinite flight.
  • Electronic counter measures
  • Satellite command and control-wing management on missions orchestrations.
This is fun I could go all-day Popular- Mechanics style. Okay Its Defense News turn:

Step by Step: US Army Slowly Nears Apache, Black Hawk Replacements



The new Black Hawk ?


The new attack Apache?



The New Combat and Rescue?

Monday, May 5, 2014

Captain Ron's Flight Lines

Its Cinco de Mayo today so I am left with the task of making "flight lines", you may know them as LiftnDrag sarcasm about what's out there today. I remember on the Movie "Captain Ron" played by Kurt Russell, he said to the wayward family on vacation when picking up a sailing sloop. "If its going to happen, its going to happen out there."  Okay Captain Ron its really happening out there.

Flight Lines:
  • Breaking news the A380 has a one bedroom suite for mile high miles.
  • More breaking news the A380 has a shower in that suit.
  • Another breaking feature, Can you lend a guy $20,000 US for a ride?
  • I am tired of hearing about the A380 "lost leader" suite.
  • Qatar wants another terminal since it is about to receive 80 A350's
  • Did you know the A380 filled its dead space with bed space?


These come from the news searching on Google using  "Boeing 787" search word for a google news search, whaaaat! I search using  787 Boeing  search words in the news search and got this Cinco de Mayo Tom Foolery during the last two days. Boeing is not in the news at the start of the week, but Etihad is with its first bedroom suite on all news outlets around the world.

Mean while back at the Boeing farm, a pivot point has occurred in the works. Boeing is on track for a very big year. It has its arms full with the 777X program. The 737 Max program, which began ahead of the 777X program the pair have already approximately garnered a 2,200 order back log of paper aircraft. If you throw in the DreamLiners, then Boeing is over the 3,000 mark in the back log department with just its new offerings.

Don't forget that old 767 lives another life as a KC-46. They are working on a fifth copy at this time while completing the first assembly of the structure. Consider all the systems works, fueling appliances it must now install, and you will appreciate they still have a ways to go before actual flight testing.

(Blog Selfie in words) "Don't be distracted by one Bedroom suites on the A380." Remember Captain Ron keynote advise. "If its going to happen, Its going to happen out there."  Even though being lost is not a critical issue, or staying afloat in this blog is that important or just plain adrift, keep looking out with Captain's Ron's wooden eye.





Watch what's not reported, not too apparent, or is just on the factory floor, then you will have a better sense of what's happening out there. Watch Captain Ron moves on the movie for your training film, and you will gain the LiftnDrag swagger and composition. The A380 suite on the Etihad is just for getting Frequent-Flyer Mile-High-Miles, with $20 grand as pillow stuffing.

Friday, May 2, 2014

Airbus says A330 "more challenging", supply base stable (Reuters)

Translation: The A330 will run as the leading actor in Airbus' play but not after 2016. Then it will run in a supporting role for the A350. By then the talking points for the A330 sales will center on Capitalization value instead of operational value, as it's now sold. Capitalization sales value has a different set of taking points than the 787 or A350.


  • Lower Purchase Price savings Buys More Jet Fuel for a long time.
  • Lower Interest cost from lower purchase price buys additional fuel
  • Ground Operations Cost is already sunk with A330 vs the new 787.
  • Renewing A330 does not have a training penalty cost as with a 787.
  • Total savings will compete with 787 over its service life
Sounds good for some Airbus airlines, but at some point the spread of the 787 is going to be a bad rash for Airbus.

The Western Australian Take:

Airbus says A330 "more challenging", supply base stable

Until now, the 20-year-old A330 has had a particularly strong run as sales benefited from three years of delays to the Boeing's new 787 Dreamliner.
But that is winding down as Boeing catches up with 787 deliveries and Airbus prepares to bring out its own new A350.
A record rate at which Airbus is making the planes to take advantage of the market gap has also eaten into the backlog.
Confirming a timeline reported by Reuters earlier this year, Airbus said it faced growing challenges beyond 2016.
"The long-range programme (A330) presents no new challenges. However, managing the order book beyond 2016 becomes more challenging due to competition from A350 XWB and Boeing 787," the document said.
Industry sources warned in February the A330 faced a steep drop in deliveries beyond 2016 without new sales.